massfanonfandomcom-20200215-history
New Galactic Codex/Weapons and Technology
In the tumultuous era of the Krogan Rebellions, the citizens of the galaxy often had need to defend themselves from a variety of threats. This section therefore contains entries on any number of weapons and technology produced by the various galactic races. However, due to the vast scope of the work, most information on more common domestic items is not listed here, as this work is primarily focused on products designed for major use before and during the war. Codex Entries Grafttec Cybernetics' Condyle-6 Ocular Implants Medical technology, genetic and cybernetic alike, has largely been considered the salarians' greatest contribution to galactic technological advancement. Though not as famous as Nezo Corporation and its now near-ubiquitous medical salve bioplasm, Grafttec Cybernetics has remained one of the galaxy's foremost developers of biomechanical technologies. Grafttec had its origins in a salarian scientific think-tank during the Rachni Wars. It capitalized on the now-well-known Karaten's Paradox, first described by co-founder Karaten Fulsoom, to quickly expand into the largest biomedical corporation of Mannovai. Karaten's Paradox states that as the neurons of the brain are mapped in greater and greater detail, the variations between individuals become a greater and greater barrier to development of neuro-mechanical interfaces taking advantage of these pathways. Karaten Fulsoom realized that the pipe dream of complicated technology controlled entirely by thought could simply never be economically feasible. While interfaces of astounding complexity could be manufactured, the somewhat-arbitrary way that the salarian brain stored memories made it necessary for each interface to be custom-tailored to each individual brain's unique microstructure. This made wide-scale application of complicated cybernetics essentially impossible, due to the crippling development and installation times required for each patient. So, while its competitors continued to pursue the holy grail of computer entirely controlled by the user's mind, Grafttec turned its efforts to improving bio-integration. Grafttec products used simple neuromechanical interfaces for basic mental control, augmented with small external computers usually worn on the belt or collar for control of advanced features. This allowed for their cybernetics to be installed cheaper, wider, and faster than any of their competitions', and cemented Grafttec's status as as a world leader in biotechnology. After First Contact with the asari, the influx of other alien technology cost Grafttec its undisputed ruler status, but the company remains one of the largest cybernetics corporations of any sentient race. Grafttec's proprietary bio-integration technologies allow cybernetics to merge with organic flesh seamlessly, leading to faster recovery times, fewer side-effects, lower maintenance, and, most importantly, subtler visual integration. Cybernetically-enhanced individuals have always drawn prejudice from the larger public, and so Grafttec's much-hyped, nearly-invisible products are often in high-demand compared to the clunky, obvious technology of some of its competitors. Grafttec's commitment to invisible cybernetics, while a clear marketing boon for the company, nearly led to disaster after the release of their Condyle-1 ocular implants. These cybernetic eyes - nearly indistinguishable from their organic counterparts - featured tri-pane stereopanels situated around the conventional central camera, capable of not only enhancing stereoscopic and distance vision, but also detecting and interpreting ultraviolet and infrared radiation. They became an instant hit among Salarian STG agents galaxy-wide for their capacity to increase accuracy by up to 26%. However, they were also the first model to include a miniaturized hard-drive and short-beam transmitter, capable of capturing and storing up to 100 hours of visual data. While military minds praised the record function's enormous value for reconaissance, civilian sectors were less impressed. Condyle-1's were very difficult to detect with conventional security scanners, and they became deadly tools in the hands of corporate spies or paparazzi. Elai Tandrell, a popular asari singer, sued Grafttec for three hundred million credits in damages after discovering her bodyguard had been using Condyle-1 implants to capture and sell revealing footage to the press. Meanwhile, representatives from the Citadel Council, C-Sec, and other large governmental bodies expressed fears that the eyes could be used to obtain dangerous secrets in the wrong hands. The Condyle-1 model was quickly discontinued . Later Condyle models retained thei recording function but had no internal hard-drive, requiring the use of an external and easily-detectable storage module. Most controversially, later Condyles were given a strong, artificial glow that made them almost impossible to conceal. Many cybernetically-enhanced individuals expressed outrage over the change, claiming that Grafttec was subjecting them to a life of undeserved ostracism. Illegal modding of late-generation Condyle implants became commonplace - skilled surgeons could disable the glow or even conceal it beneath clonally-grown organic flesh. Internal hard-drives and radio-cushioned transmitters were often implanted into the optic chiasma of the brain, restoring the covert recording function of the original Condyles. Though Grafttec has publically expressed its displeasure with the modders, and points out that modding of any kind automatically voids their products' warranties, no official legal action has been taken. Condyle-6 ocular implants were released several decades after the Rachni Wars. They feature fixes to several common bugs known to plague the Condyle-5's, along with a more robust user-interface containing hundreds of new commands that can be uploaded into any standard omni-tool. Image-enhancing stereopanels now feature seven total microlayers, including a new, proprietary pigment that enhances color distinction in the red spectrum by at least 35%. Most notably, the Condyle-6 expands upon previous models' HUDs, allowing data streams and even Haptic Interfaces to be projected directly in the user's brain, instead of onto holographic panels. |} Category:New Galactic Codex